Published: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at 2:14 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at 2:14 p.m.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Civil rights groups want the U.S. Justice Department to launch a federal investigation into whether North Carolina school districts are refusing to enroll some immigrant children although public schools are required to take all comers.

The groups said Tuesday they filed a complaint last week with the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division against school districts in Buncombe and Union counties. The complaint says the school districts told two 17-year-old immigrant children with limited English skills they were too old for high school.

The groups including Legal Services of Southern Piedmont in Charlotte and the Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center say the immigrant children are too often being turned away from North Carolina classrooms.

Spokesmen for the Union and Buncombe county schools districts did not respond to messages Tuesday seeking comment.

<p>RALEIGH, N.C. — Civil rights groups want the U.S. Justice Department to launch a federal investigation into whether North Carolina school districts are refusing to enroll some immigrant children although public schools are required to take all comers.</p><p>The groups said Tuesday they filed a complaint last week with the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division against school districts in Buncombe and Union counties. The complaint says the school districts told two 17-year-old immigrant children with limited English skills they were too old for high school.</p><p>The groups including Legal Services of Southern Piedmont in Charlotte and the Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center say the immigrant children are too often being turned away from North Carolina classrooms.</p><p>Spokesmen for the Union and Buncombe county schools districts did not respond to messages Tuesday seeking comment.</p>